Amanda Blackhorse, a Navajo, was one of five plaintiffs to contest the federal trademark protection of the team name. This is a great victory for Native Americans and it's indicative of the growing chorus of people who oppose the use of such racial slurs.

Now, more than ever, Native Americans are visible in ways they have not been in the past, erasing the antiquated image of a mythical, loin-cloth-clad Tonto figure and giving voice to real American Indians.

Due to a complex history and interconnected issues, many tribes face poverty unlike other American ethnic groups and have the highest dropout rates. And sadly, there are additional reprehensible social statistics.

But efforts like those the president outlined in his recent visit -- additional investment in tribal communities, improved communication between agencies and empowerment -- highlight some of the ways that the government is aiding these deeply rooted issues.

And as Native Americans are seen beyond the stereotypes, and as we use our voices to speak out, we give visibility to who we are, as well as the issues we are working to solve.

This visibility allows for a rehumanization. That is important, and not just for the sake of a brand name of a professional football team.

It is also not about an overly sensitive, politically correct Native American adult who feels the sting of racial epithets.

It's about a future where our kids won't have to face the racism we have.

Our voices were once silenced, but we never stopped speaking.

Our land was taken, but we never stopped living.

Our children were stolen, and yet generations endure.

The 21st century is incontrovertibly a time where we have reclaimed our voice from those who would speak on behalf of us, and it is a time where we work diligently to reclaim our appropriated image.